Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV on Sunday called on the faithful to continue praying for peace across the world, with special concern for families affected by war, violence, and displacement.
Speaking during the Angelus prayer in St Peter’s Square on the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Pope said families, especially children, the elderly, and the most vulnerable, are paying a heavy price because of ongoing conflicts. He invited everyone to entrust these suffering families to the intercession of the Holy Family of Nazareth.
Reflecting on the meaning of the feast, Pope Leo said Christian families are called to be a light in a world often marked not only by wars, but also by loneliness, division, and despair. Referring to the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt to escape King Herod’s violence, he warned against modern myths of success, power, and empty well being that often crush love and lead to broken relationships.
Pope urged families not to let these false promises suffocate the flame of love in their homes. He encouraged them to stay rooted in Gospel values through prayer, the sacraments, sincere dialogue, fidelity, and simple daily gestures of care and affection. According to him, families living this way can become schools of love and signs of hope in society.
Basing his reflection on the Gospel passage from Saint Matthew, Pope Leo spoke about Herod’s fear and cruelty, noting that his obsession with power blinded him to God’s saving work unfolding in his own kingdom. This hardness of heart, Pope said, only highlights the mission of the Holy Family, which carried God’s plan of salvation forward through humility, obedience, and trust.
He also highlighted Saint Joseph’s obedience to God’s will, saying that during the time in Egypt, the love within the Holy Family grew stronger and prepared them to bring light to the world.
At the end of the Angelus, Pope Leo entrusted all families to the intercession of Mary and Joseph and prayed that, by following Christ, families everywhere may become living signs of God’s presence and endless love.